Nick and Karin Ashmore, seated in the foreground, attend a special town meeting Monday, June 24 in Livermore where their application to sell medical marijuana was approved. The couple operate Inside Out Indoor Garden Supply LLC on Route 4. Livermore Falls Advertiser photo by Pam Harnden

LIVERMORE — A public hearing and special town meeting were held Monday night concerning an application to sell medical marijuana at a local business.

Administrative assistant Amy Byron said Nick and Karin Ashmore, owners of Inside Out Indoor Garden Supplies LLC had submitted the application to the Planning Board.

“Their site plan review was deemed complete. They’ve met with Travis (Tardif, Livermore’s Code Enforcement Officer). They’ve answered some questions, the Planning Board gave Karin some more. We’re here to answer those and other questions,” she said.

Nick Ashmore said he planned to follow all state guidelines regarding the number of plants allowed on the premises and amounts of medical cannabis that can be sold daily.

“Quite honestly, there have been many changes in the laws. If approved, there will be a list posted of what we can and can’t do according to state law,” he said. “I have no interest in being a pot store. We’re a grow store. I would like to sell medical cannabis just like we sell pipes and grow supplies.

Inside Out Indoor Garden Supplies LLC opened five years ago. Nick said it was a lot tougher than he thought and realized in the first six months he wouldn’t make it if he didn’t sell pipes.

Resident Kathy Lee asked if the Ashmores were concerned about security issues.

Karin said they have security systems in place.

Nick added, “We have 11 or 12 cameras inside and outside the store.”

“We have lighting and two months of data if anything should happen. It’s very secure,” Karin said.

Resident Frank Goodwin said Livermore is a small agricultural town.

“Why are we approving a store for the sale of this kind of stuff when they can go to Lewiston? All we’re doing is attracting negativity,” he said.

Nick said, “This is medicine. It’s not my opinion, its’ a fact. I vote yes for medicine. I voted no for recreational marijuana.

“Why shouldn’t people have access to it as a medicine if it’s being done right?”

Planning Board Chair Cliff Berry said the town had passed an ordinance not to have recreational marijuana but that the medical portion was a separate issue. There was an existing store in town and their site plan review was complete.

“There’s not a lot we can do about it,” he said.

One resident said marijuana is an herb and agricultural.

“It will stimulate the economy,” he said.

Lee said she hoped the town would support it. Livermore is very rural with few stores and she felt it would be a disservice not to have it available.

“There’s a lot of ignorance out there about what medical marijuana does. It helps people not suffer. I’ve seen what this product can do,” she said.

Deputy Clerk Jean Tardif said she has seen what medical marijuana has done for her sister.

“If it’s done right, keep control, we need to give it a chance,” she said.

Non–resident Sylvia Lane asked to speak but no second was put forth on a motion to allow her to do so.

Berry asked what the town’s recourse would be if illegal behavior were to occur. The town doesn’t  have it’s own police protection.

Planning Board member Jim Manter said the Ashmore’s application was correct by state law and all Planning Board requirements were met.

“What they’re doing is legal. There’s no ordinance on the books that prohibits this.

“It’s their right as businessmen to open that business,” he said.

Nick said it was ironic that according to the recreational marijuana moratorium, existing businesses were grandfathered in and all others had to be approved.

“Because we like to do things the right way, we wanted to get the town’s permission. People are putting a negative spin on it. We’re not trying to bring anything bad into this town,” he said.

CEO Tardif said the business would be regulated and controlled by the state and would need to follow all the rules.

“I grew up like all of us being told marijuana is bad. Just because the government says it’s bad doesn’t mean it is bad,” he said.

By a vote of 12 to 4, Inside Out Indoor Garden Supplies LLC’s application to sell medical marijuana was approved.

During a public hearing Monday, June 24 Livermore resident Frank Goodwin questioned approving an application to sell medical marijuana. Indoor Out Indoor Garden Supply LLC was given approval to do so after a 12 to 4 decision by those voters present at the special town meeting that followed. Livermore Falls Advertiser photo by Pam Harnden